Tiger Woods responsible for fearlessness of young stars, ‘has psychologically armed’ them

Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, two of the young winners on the PGA Tour this year, at the Sony Open. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

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Rickie Fowler’s victory in the Honda Classic on Sunday was yet another win for the youth movement that seems to have taken over the game. Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee explains in this story why it no longer holds that “men’s professional golf has historically been more about experience than youth.”

There are several factors, Chamblee writes, but none so prominent as this one: “When these early- to mid- 20-somethings were just starting to play the game, they had as their teacher, for the better part of two decades, the greatest example of tenacity and technique in the history of the game. All they had to do was turn the TV on and there was a man who was as good with the scalpel as he was with the cleaver, as herculean in his determination as he was Euclidian. At one point going 14 of 14 with a 54-hole lead in a major, he gave these kids the highest example of athleticism and athletic stoicism. In the same way he psychologically destroyed his competition then, Tiger has psychologically armed the competition today.”

Winners from top 10 in World Ranking heighten Masters anticipation

“The refrain is becoming a tradition unlike any other, especially after a West Coast swing like this one.

“‘The Masters can’t get here soon enough.’

“What the West Coast swing showed is that it’s getting more crowded than ever at the top, and it’s getting tougher to find a clear-cut favorite.

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